Week Two – Getting Harder (Saturday 25 October 2014)

So it’s day 13 on this new program. I’ve done as many days of heavy-weight, low repetition and light-weight, high repetition exercises and I’ve smashed myself with intense cardio intervals. Today’s Chest, Abs, Cardio smash was freaking brilliant – plus I had the gym to myself…. This meant Oasis, The Killers and Ministry of Sound being played on the music box for around 90 minutes! J

On this ship, we have a selection of cardio machines and I’ve mostly been using the spin bike (of course), the rower and cross trainer. I’ve also been making up my HIITs with rapid high repetition (low weight) leg press, calf raise and hamstring curls. The spin bike and I have covered close to 120km of 1km sprints, the cross trainer has seen me smash 4km per 12 minutes of 1 minute intervals per session (4 sessions so far means 16km total), and the rower and I have effectively travelled 10km in 4 sessions of 1 km sprints. So, I’m going pretty hard!

The abdominals everyday element is highly addictive and increasingly more difficult, but it is helping me feel less ‘blubbery’ and more taught if that’s possible (?) coupled with my program’s intensity. I’m researching and trying new exercises for abdominals, and feeling constantly that I’m working them. I even feel my core getting stronger, especially during the weights exercises, meaning I can lift heavier, or for more reps! Awesome.

That’s about all from me for now, except I’m still feeling the pinch of, maybe, a trapped nerve or muscle tweak in my shoulder – but I’m not made of glass and Yoga has taught me to listen to my body better. I’ve even started to Savasana at the end of my really hard workouts (most days!) – which must look weird since I’m doing it on the gym floor for 2-3 minutes as my cool down, calm down meditation. Love combining all this stuff I’ve learnt in the past few years.

6 Days into the program I switched my supplements around. The ON Hydro Builder is dee-lish! Plus, it’s giving me what I need to replace lunch (alongside a WinGaz style berry, superfood smoothie-yum!). The OxyShred is an interesting product because it really kicks my workout into a new gear; the thermogenic is less aggressive, but it turns up the heat! The good this is the absence of heavy stimulants and I’m not ‘buzzing’ just getting into the ‘zone’ of my training. Happy.

That’s all from me, from the middle of nowhere. Hopefully, I can upload soon.

Do yourself a favour, immerse yourself in some good old school tunes and get sweaty. Work at whatever level you are comfortable, to achieve YOUR goals.

“Never Back Down, and don’t succumb to your own justifications. Ignore them and Just Freaking Do It!” (Thanks Mish)

Week One Reflections

Week One – Progress?

It’s only when you take the time to look back at where your journey began that you realize how far you’ve actually travelled. What you think you’re doing, seeing and achieving is probably so much less that you really are. Not a believer? Well, you and me both…until now. To help me demonstrate why I believe now, I’m going to look back over my life (briefly) and reflect on the development as I initially see it and then I’m going to delve a little deeper and prove that the things I personally take for granted are so much more valid than I realize. I want to share some of my secrets with you…..

Why? – Honesty.

I want to be honest. Honest to you, Honest to me. I want you to know. That, and the fact that I’m feeling the reflection and I believe it’s a good time to share – after all “sharing is caring”. I often feel the twang of non-development and guilt for not pushing harder, and as such I lose sight of how far I’ve come in retrospect for how far I still have to travel. Another reason I want to share is because I’ve been holding this in for many years and now I’m letting it out.

My Health & Fitness

In terms of my health, I’ve never really taken it seriously until recently. As a kid I played football (soccer), ran long distance and participated in Royal Navy Cadet sports such as Field Gun. I was encouraged to be active by my parents and enoy it. I was always motivated by movies such as Rocky and the (original) Karate Kid. A an adult I worked out irregularly in the gym, played squash and spent many years teaching and competing as a kickboxer. I don’t think I can remember a time post 18 years old where I didn’t have a belly and excess body fat. One of my oldest friends back in ‘Old Blighty’ used to say she was proud of how far I’d come (of course I never took it on board) – I was the guy who ate dunkin donuts and coke for breakfast, with a cheesy garlic bread chaser, in 1997. By 2000, I’d kicked the donuts and garlic bread but I never realized that until recently…

 I spent my twenties teaching scuba diving, which although physically demanding has a particularly fun and active social side – meaning excess drinking, eating and partying.

As a consequence, my late twenties arrived pretty quickly (in the haze of youthful alcoholism) and I landed in Sydney (after a few drinks on the 24 hour flight) – the most body-conscious city I’ve ever known as a fat heavy drinker. I weighed 118kg but I was loaded with body fat, visceral fat and was not in great shape. Bending to tie my shoe laces caused me to break into a sweat (no lie) and I’d frequently end up huffing and puffing after a short walk up stairs to my apartment. It didn’t improve until I met Winnie. She was healthy, very healthy. She trained Taekwondo and swam fairly regularly. She inspired the change.

My Diet

In terms of my diet, I was always fed nutritious meals at home. Portion sizes were massive and I was raised to clear my plate. Seconds never really happened because we were served big enough portions to leave no excess. Every meal was a mountain to climb. Every bbq was more or less a challenge where survival of the fattest/hungriest would win out. That said I was raised to enjoy veggies and salads (and I make a pretty awesome salad – thanks for that Nanny Marg!). I’ve had a sweet tooth as long as I can remember, and crave sweets, lollies, chocolate, ice cream and fizzy soft drinks. It’s not easy giving those things up. As I grew up my hunger grew too, therefore my portions kept growing too I guess. Then I reached legal age to drink alcohol. Welcome the fun of pubs and bars, enter the beer belly. Dang! Well as I mentioned the diving era was very sociable and as such I drank a lot. A lot is an underestimation. I was binge drinking by modern standards, most nights. Now, almost a decade later, I drink irregularly and I’m proud to say I consume no more than 1-2 drinks per week (more like per month) at medicals I may attend. The other side to excessive drinking, was that I’d stuff myself silly with pies, sausage rolls, chips, kebabs and other unhealthy junk foods late at night, prior to going to bed.  Now I eat a sensible, gluten free restricted diet and rarely consume alcohol. I take dietary supplements and supplements for my training regime. It seems like a huge waste of money to consume those and then ruin it with binge drink/eating.

The Present

I’m deployed. I’m focused, driven to succeed – I’m a proudly serving member of her Majesty’s Royal Australian Navy. I apply myself and test my limits every day. I work hard and smart. I train hard and often. I eat well, with occasional rewards and treats. I usually share them with my fellow watch keepers – which reduces my potential intake and keeps me satiated with small tastes of my favourite things. I stick to my planned training routines and never quit. I have developed a self-actuating mentality and I’m determined to succeed.

In my life I’ve always lived with no regrets. I still keep myself honest with this, but now I look at my own life with a greater appreciation for the present.

The Past is History, The Future is a Mystery…but the Present, that’s a Gift.

SO now, I’m 95kg and I’m not bothered about my weight. I’m bothered about transformation. I’ve been working hard to make 2014 my year of transformation. I have travelled so far, I’ve done a full 360 on who I was, and I’m loving the person I’m becoming. Today for instance, I worked out in the gym. Granted I was motivated by Rocky 3, and the Eye of the Tiger is playing in my head right now, and I pushed harder. The result was an awesome workout, Arms and Abs day flew by in a blur. My arms kill right now, and my body is sore – but that’s making me feel more alive.

I’m the luckiest man in the world. I have a super wicked awesome family, a pretty cool job that I enjoy and the best wife ever. She supports, motivates and inspires. She challenges me and gives me a reason to be better. To prove how good I am to the world. I Love my darling, little bear.

Personal side to my journey has been even more epic, and I’ll save that for another day….

My Goal – Moving Forwards

My biggest, most difficult goal is to transform my life, my habits and my thought processes to being healthy and active. For my future family, I wanna be the kind of dad who runs around with, plays games with and enjoys the journey of bringing children into being. I don’t want to be restricted with aches, pains, excessive blubber. I don’t want my future teenage kids to be ashamed of me, to think of me as a poor role model. Na-uh. I’m going for the opposite.

I want my wife, my family and my kids (one day) to be proud of who I am, where I come from and where I want to be.

“In defence of my country, I will make my family proud”

Next….

Three Questions

To finish, I’d like to pose three questions for you. Take them on board and use them at will for any aspect of your life. It helps me and its part of my meditative practice to mull over them:

1.     What have I learnt?

2.     What am I learning?

3.     What am I yet to learn?

Challenge yourself, push hard but remember looking back to lubricate your journey onwards from now is vital.

Looking Back to Move Forwards

UPDATE!

Update

As you may or may not know, I am proudly serving in the Royal Australian Navy as a Marine Engineer. Well, the time has recently arrived for my ship to deploy. I’m going to be vague about those particular details, but needless to say I’m going to be away from home, and my amazing wife, Winnie, for many, many long months.

Excuse a few memorable moments with my amazing wife.....

Charles Bridge, Prague

The night we got engaged

The smile that melts my heart..

Happy Memories - 11-12-13

 Winnie, Happy Anniversary in Advance - I Love You xx

Langkawi, Honeymooning

Coco's on Perhentian.... 

Ok, now then... where was I? 

This year I’ve set myself many challenges and I’ve risen to them all. I’ve finally had my honeymoon with Winnie, run and cycled my way through personal goals, and given up unhealthy habits. As such, I believe it’s made me stronger – both emotionally and physically. Besides, behind every self-actuating, hard working and successful man is the real hero - the wife. Winnie has endured me through everything, and I love her more than she'll ever realise. To the moon and back, baby.

The physical side is easy: train hard, take your nutrition seriously, rest and maintain hydration to see drastic development. Emotionally, I’ve been on an interesting journey. The emotional journey has been phenomenal really. I’ve been separated from Winnie many times this year due to work and I’ve taken that on the chin. I’ve had my homesick days, but I’ve learnt to balance things. I’m even getting used to my new scruffy beard and new family nickname (from my nephew) “Pirate”!

I’ve continued with developing my understanding of myself. I’ve kept up with my affirmations and techniques learnt through Neuro Emotional Technique sessions with the Peaceful Warrior and Miss Maddy (her awesome substitute), I’ve meditated and tried not to take things too seriously. I’ve become strong through that training and that’s really prepared me for this deployment, my first ever.

In my preparations I’ve developed a healthy diet and a serious gym habit, which I’d say is a pretty good exchange for junk food, movies and excess drinking.

I’ve pretty much given up the use of the word “try” and I that’s helped me to become more accountable for my actions / decisions. Let’s not forget those immortal, embedded words of Michelle Bridges:

“JFDI – Just Freaking Do It!”

Sore is definitely the new Sexy, and it’s my mission to maintain this whist on deployment. I want to be a role model for health and positivity. My blogs, due to the nature of my work will be sporadic or released in bundles as we bounce around the Australian coastline (whenever that may be)…so don’t lose interest, and look out for my posts when they pop up!

School Dayz...

Big training day today, with a long chest and abdominal workout, broken up with a 90 minute indoor soccer match! I even scored 5 goals! I treated the soccer as an interval workout, with lots of short bursts of sprints and running around. I worked very hard, focussing on the running which I hope will give my legs that edge come Sunday when running the C2S with the wifey...

The Nerdy Part

So, today after much research, which is always an ongoing event for me, I've decided to write a post about supplementation. I know that this subject is confusing for many people, and so I have decided to write about a few elements of supplementation that are relevant to me. I'm going to talk about Protein, and touch upon Amino Acids. I'm going to try to not get too scientific (which will be harder than it sounds), just keeping it as a sort of Dummy's Guide....

Supplements are a minefield. Linger too long and you could literally blow your mind with all the information, advertising and forums out there. EVERYONE has an opinion it seems. Well, being protein deficient and very active (these days) I have been guided by others, namely the professionals whom I interact with, to develop a base understanding of the supplements that I've taken. I like to be informed. Every day is a school day for me! Before I get into this, my post is not a be-all and end-all, just my research to date on protein (mostly) and its uses...but not all proteins, just so we're clear!

So, here I go...stepping onto the minefield....KA-BOOM!

Protein

Protein is a macronutirent found in food, such as meat, dairy products, nuts and beans. It's made up of amino acids. Amino Acids are the lego-bricks of lean body tissue, and promote healthy bones, skin, hair and muscles (to name a few). It is best to try and obtain the bulk of protein intake via whole foods, it can be very difficult to achieve with a modern lifestyle - which is why Winnie and I are turning to the more Paleo / Raw / Wholefood way of life. 

In other words, for the most part people often need to supplement Protein. I was diagnosed by the PW as protein deficient not so long ago and that started my research. Diet is key, I hear it all the time. Supplementation is almost essential for intake of aminos on the fly, if you have a hectic life or lack the discipline to eat like a Superhero (or RAN Physical Trainer).

Protein supplements come in almost any imaginable variation, but when it comes down to it what are the main types of Protein? Well, not all protein sups are the same....typical. Protein supplements are classified into a multitude of types. I'm just gonna discuss Concentrates, Isolates, and Hydrolysed Whey Protein, and Casein.

Whey Concentrates are probably the simplest and most inexpensive protein source. It's pretty common, and I understand it to be a good place to start if you're a newbie. It can be hard to digest and can cause bloating and gas (not good for you or your friends). It's fairly versatile since it can be a snack source, used pre and post workout for boosting protein.

Whey Isolates are fast absorbing proteins. They are generally a little more expensive than concentrates. Isolates are good for folks who are maintaining a low carb diet since they usually contain less sugars and carbs (if any). They're really good pre and post workout, and since they absorb quickly they supply essential recovery nutrients to the muscles to assist with repair and growth.

Hydrolysate Proteins are the most expensive source of protein. It is also the highest quality available. They provide highly absorbable peptides that can have a really significant impact on muscle repair and growth. These are the fastest absorbing proteins. Hydrolysates are kinder on your digestive system too. They are very good when used as pre and post workout supplements.

Casein Protein is a little different. It takes a lot longer for casein to breakdown (anywhere from 5-7 hours to fully breakdown), which makes it ideal for overnight use. Since it takes so long to breakdown and absorb, your body works through the night absorbing and utilising the protein, while you rest. Since it takes so long to breakdown, casein protein is excellent for during the day, since it clots in the stomach leaving you feeling full-up! Casein is often thicker in consistency and as you drink it you feel like you're drinking a filling meal. Casein will deliver nutrients over a long period of time, which is great for daytime use.

There have been many a discussion targeting whether to use Whey or Casein proteins, the advice I was given, and currently adhere to, is that its beneficial to use both. Use casein at night or for meal replacements when not training to deliver more sustained and controlled absorption of nutrients.  Use Whey as your pre or post workout shake to get fast absorbing nutrients to your muscles quickly. Using both in conjunction with a nutritious whole food diet and you're onto a winner.

Peptides?

We're talking good peptides, not the doping kind that cause sporting scandals. Di and Tripeptides are found in all Hydrolysate Proteins, but what are they? Well, they're the reason hydrolysates are most expensive! Scientifically however, Peptides are the bonds that hold amino acids in their chains within protein. The longer the chains, the slower the breakdown and absorption of the amino acids. 

Since hydrolysate proteins are produced from purified protein sources, each hydrolysate is a complex mix of peptides and chains (of different lengths) of free amino acids. Absorption kinetics of different hydrolysate proteins is based on the proportion of di and tripeptides.

Research (not mine) shows that the only type of peptides that are absorbed intact through digestion are di and tripeptides. This is because they are shorter chain length peptides and therefore do not undergo hydrolysis before they are absorbed. This is good because the hydrolysates with lots of di and tripeptides are absorbed faster than other proteins with more complex amino chains. What this means is that due to rapid intestinal infusion, the aminos from the protein gets into circulation much faster than regular free aminos. This also means that there will be a more abundant supply of amino acids in circulation that are available for muscle growth and repair. Hydrolysate Protein containing these small chain aminos with di and tripeptides allow for much greater levels of blood aminos and mixed muscle protein synthesis than casein protein. Again, another reason why it is so much more expensive. 

Scientifically, its a superior product, but you may want to ask yourself if its necessary for you. If like me, your body struggles to synthesise proteins, or you're lacking in amino acids, it may be a great place to investigate further. My advice is to do your own research, but bear in mind that all manufacturers are selling the best type for you...ahem. Well, you and advice from your professionals is the first port of call, I suggest. 

Think before you Drink.